Wales’ longest cycling festival will run from 18 to 27 May in Aberystwyth.

AberCycleFest features new events alongside the traditional promenade races, mountain bike downhill race (both 25 May), Welsh Wild West Sportive (26 May) and urban hill climb (27 May).

The festival, which is supported by Aberystwyth Town Council and SP Energy Networks, attracts over 2,000 cyclists, ranging from complete beginners to world and Olympic champions taking part in the competitive events.

The Pedal Power on the Prom town centre races incorporate the Welsh Circuit Race Championships for those aged six years old through to veteran adults.

Races for local schoolchildren kick proceedings off at 10am.

At the other end of the promenade, downhill mountain bikers will be racing down Constitution Hill and catching the vehicular railway back to the top for another ride.

And riders of all abilities can take on the Cawr, Mynach, Diafol or Corrach distances on the Welsh Wild West Sportive ride while the festival is brought to a close with a head-to-head hill-climb challenge on the fearsome 25 per cent gradient Cefn Llan hill in Llanbadarn.  

Fringe events are taking place at various venues in the town during the week, including a gala evening at the National Library of Wales (21 May), a BMX display and skills workshop at the new Parc Kronberg skatepark (23 May), and 10-mile time trial at Cwmrheidol (22 May).

The two new events added are the 212km Afan Outdoor Audax day event (18 May) and Summit Cycles Mountain Bike Discovery Day at Nant yr Arian (19 May).

The latter will give visitors the opportunity to test ride a mountain bike, get some riding and equipment tips from the experts, and to socialise amongst other mountain bike enthusiasts.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow